Carla Rokes

Carla Rokes serves as Professor of Drawing in the Department of Art at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke (UNCP), where she has taught studio art since 2003. A native Carolinian, she holds a B.F.A. from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and an M.F.A. from Pratt Institute in New York.

Her research centers on figurative abstraction and hybrid drawing methodologies, where she deconstructs narratives from fairy tales, myths, and popular media. By blending hand-drawn elements with photographs and found imagery from catalogs and children's books, she employs fragmentation and re-contextualization techniques to create fluid narratives. Her nationally exhibited work appears in venues including Rochester Contemporary Art Center, Cameron Art Museum, and A.I.R. Gallery in Brooklyn.

Professor Rokes has received two UNCP teaching awards for her excellence in education. Her commitment extends beyond campus through active participation in Arts-In-Education Residency programs:

• Conducts 20+ annual workshops on mural painting and hybrid techniques
• Partners with CIS and DREAMS Academy in Southeastern NC schools
• Presents at national art conferences on contemporary drawing practices

Prior to her faculty role, she served as UNCP's A.D. Gallery Director (2008-2014), founding the Biennial American Indian Art Series and curating 30+ exhibitions. Her pre-UNCP experience includes development and gallery management roles at prominent New York institutions including The Drawing Center.